The Best Natural Remedy for a Nervous Stomach

If you often experience some sort of indigestion, where your stomach “inexplicably” becomes bloated or upset particularly when you’re anxious about something, then you probably have a nervous stomach. Also called “irritable bowel syndrome,” a nervous stomach can be an extremely difficult thing to have, if not exceedingly embarrassing. Imagine going to a party where, in the middle of all the fun, your stomach grumbles and becomes out of control. Or you’re out on a date when suddenly you have the strongest, most urgent feeling of going to the restroom—thereby throwing all your previous romantic notions out the window. All these things considered, however, it is best to resort to a natural remedy for a nervous stomach—you can actually control it, with a little will. But first, you must know the enemy first.

Understanding the condition

To put things in a proper perspective, it is not the stomach that is nervous, but you are: your anxiety sends your internal system to a frenzy and as such, it is the stomach that happens to be the weakest link. Against this context, getting a natural remedy for a nervous stomach is important mainly because you will be able to avoid unpleasant side-effects—a drug would not have much of a use if it merely introduces another problem. A nervous stomach’s symptoms from the most despised (vomiting, diarrhea, an unpleasant sense of churning) to the not-so-hated (stomach cramps, that strange taste in the mouth, or a general feeling of being sick). But you must understand that all these symptoms have a single underlying cause: undiagnosed and often chronic anxiety.

Two-pronged treatment approach

Naturally, finding an effective natural remedy for a nervous stomach requires treating what causes it: anxiety. In fact, a nervous stomach is just one of the many physiological disorders caused by being anxious all the time. Worse, many people quickly resort to drugs or medicines in treating anxiety—most of these drugs can cause secondary problems, even “addictions.” The best way to combat this disorder, therefore, is by natural, yet highly effective treatments.

One of the two approaches to regulate or manage your anxiety is exercise—any pent-up stress that might have been worsening your sense of anxiety will be “vented out” by sweating out, so to speak. More importantly, regular exercise not only improves blood circulation and keeps the heart in tip-top condition, but it also increases the body’s production of hormones that stabilize our moods and feelings—hence, exercise’s role as an easy, natural remedy for a nervous stomach.

Apart from exercise, there is also meditation. Take note that meditation does not have anything to do with religion, although since ancient times, those who regularly practiced it have been the more spiritually enlightened ones. The truth is, meditation can be practiced by anyone regardless of age, gender, or station in life. As long as you can find a quiet spot in your home and spend a few minutes each day to yourself, then you can immediately engage in it. When meditating to eliminate your anxiety, start breathing deeply and slowly—inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. One good breathing rate is six inhale-exhale combinations every 30 seconds. While performing this deep breathing exercise, focus only on your breathing—shut out everything else from your mind. Exist only in the here and now. Another alternative would be repeating or mentally stating affirmations that directly address your anxiety. For example, you can mentally state, “I am completely, deeply calm and relaxed. Nothing in the world makes me anxious,” while you breathe deeply and slowly throughout the few minutes you are alone. Meditate at least once a day, from 5 to 20 minutes every session, and you will eliminate the underlying stress and anxiety that have been causing your nervous stomach.